System and method for intelligent lighting systems

Abstract

An intelligent system for controlling an exterior landscape lighting system by self calibration and self adjustments in real-time includes a plurality of lighting units, each lighting unit comprising a light sensor, a clocking device is electrically connected to each lighting unit, a power supply means operable to provide electrical power for operation of the clocking device, and a controller unit comprising a memory for storing a pre-recorded historical data and executing a set of instructions to control on and off times of each lighting unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method to automatically operate and control an exterior landscape lighting system comprising at least one lighting unit said method comprising the steps of:
 installing said at least one lighting unit; 
 activating a clocking device electrically connected to said at least one lighting unit by applying power to said clocking device; 
 processing a self-calibrated program and retrieving a pre-recorded historical data from memory of a controller unit, said controller unit being electrically coupled to said at least one lighting unit; 
 sensing ambient light condition and designating a fixed value of illumination emittance of ambient light based on said retrieved pre-recorded historical data; 
 setting a pre-determined optimum duration set value to said at least one lighting unit based on said pre-recorded historical data; 
 measuring a first value time duration of said actual illumination emittance of ambient light; and 
 evaluating a first measured value of illumination emittance of ambient light between lighting on and off times of said at least one lighting unit by said program in real-time. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one lighting unit is activated automatically when said first measured value of said actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is less than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
 evaluating a second measured value of an actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time; 
 determining whether said second measured value of an actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is more than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one lighting unit is automatically switched off when said second measured value of an actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is more than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein said method further comprises determining and deriving a new set value of illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time by iteratively averaging at least two optimum values from a previous set of iterations of said first measured value and said second measured value, wherein said previous set of iterations comprises said first measured value, said second measured value and the like. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one lighting unit is switched off automatically when said first value of said actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is greater than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said method further comprises the steps of:
 storing a plurality of measured values of illumination emittance of ambient light between lighting on and off times of said at least one lighting unit in memory of said controller unit; 
 generating a data trend from said plurality of measured values over a period of time; 
 comparing said data trend with said pre-recorded historical data; and 
 determining current date, day and month of a year and right optimum duration to turn said at least one lighting unit on and off at installation of said lighting system by executing said program and retrieving said pre-recorded historical data. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pre-determined optimum duration is a time period for which said at least one lighting unit is switched on. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said exterior landscape lighting system is self-calibrating and self-adjusting closed loop system and continuously calculates lighting on and off optimum duration by executing a set of instructions of said program based on said data retrieved from said pre-recorded historical data from memory and turning said at least one lighting unit on and off based on calculated said on and off times. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first value time duration of said actual illumination emittance of ambient light is measured and said at least one lighting unit is activated automatically when said first measured value is less than said set value of said at least one lighting unit. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one lighting unit comprises a lamp. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pre-recorded historical data comprises data related to number of hours of daylight per day. 
     
     
       13. An intelligent system for controlling an exterior landscape lighting system by self calibration and self adjustments in real-time, said system comprising:
 at least one lighting unit comprising a light sensor and said light sensor is operative to sense illumination emittance of ambient light; 
 at least one clocking device electrically connected to the at least one lighting unit, and said at least one clocking device being operative to calculate an optimum time period between switching on and switching off the at least one lighting unit; 
 a power supply means operable to provide electrical power for operation of said clocking device; and 
 
       a controller unit comprising a memory for storing a pre-recorded historical data and executing a set of instructions to control on and off times of the at least one lighting unit, wherein said controller unit performs one or more functions selected from a group comprising:
 activating said clocking device by applying power to said clocking device; 
 processing a self-calibrated program and retrieving said pre-recorded historical data; 
 sensing ambient light condition and designating a fixed value of illumination emittance of ambient light based on said retrieved pre-recorded historical data; 
 setting a pre-determined optimum duration set value to said at least one lighting unit based on said pre-recorded historical data; 
 measuring a first value time duration of said actual illumination emittance of ambient light; 
 evaluating a first measured value of illumination emittance of ambient light between lighting on and off times of said at least one lighting unit; 
 evaluating a second measured value of an actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time; 
 determining whether said second measured value of an actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is more than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit; 
 determining a third measured value of illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time and deriving a new set value of illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time by iteratively averaging at least two optimum values from a previous set of iterations of said first measured value and said second measured value, wherein said previous set of iterations comprises said first measured value, said second measured value and the like; 
 storing a plurality of measured values of illumination emittance of ambient light between lighting on and off times of said at least one lighting unit; 
 generating a data trend from said plurality of measured values over a period of time; 
 comparing said data trend with said pre-recorded historical data; and 
 determining current date, day and month of a year and right optimum duration to turn said at least one lighting unit on and off at installation of said lighting system by executing said program and retrieving said pre-recorded historical data; 
 wherein said at least one lighting unit is automatically switched off when said second measured value of an actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is more than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit, and 
 wherein said at least one lighting unit is switched off automatically when said first value of said actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is greater than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit. 
 
     
     
       14. The intelligent system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one lighting unit comprises a control circuit for controlling signals from said controller unit. 
     
     
       15. The intelligent system of  claim 13 , wherein said pre-determined optimum duration is a time period for which said at least one lighting unit is switched on. 
     
     
       16. The intelligent system of  claim 13 , wherein said light sensor is a photo sensor, said at least one lighting unit is a lamp and said pre-recorded historical data comprises data related to number of hours of daylight per day. 
     
     
       17. The intelligent system of  claim 13 , wherein said exterior landscape lighting system continuously calculates on or off times of said at least one lighting unit based on determined optimum duration in real-time in a closed loop pattern by executing a set of instructions of said program based on said data retrieved from said pre-recorded historical data from memory and turning said at least one lighting unit on and off based on calculated said on and off times. 
     
     
       18. A device to automatically control on and off timing of an exterior landscape lighting system comprising:
 at least one clocking device electrically connected to each lighting unit of said exterior landscape lighting system, wherein said at least one clocking device is operative to calculate an optimum time period between switching on and switching off of each lighting unit; 
 a power supply means operable to provide electrical power for operation of each clocking device; 
 a controller unit comprising a memory for storing a pre-recorded historical data and executing a set of instructions to control on and off times of at least one lighting unit of said exterior landscape lighting system; and 
 a program to calculate lighting on and off times by retrieving data from said pre-recorded historical data, 
 wherein said controller unit performs one or more functions selected from a group comprising: 
 activating said clocking device by applying power to said clocking device; 
 processing a self-calibrated program and retrieving said pre-recorded historical data; 
 sensing ambient light condition and designating a fixed value of illumination emittance of ambient light based on said retrieved pre-recorded historical data; 
 setting a pre-determined optimum duration set value to said at least one lighting unit based on said pre-recorded historical data; 
 measuring a first value time duration of said actual illumination emittance of ambient light; 
 evaluating a first measured value of illumination emittance of ambient light between lighting on and off times of said at least one lighting unit; 
 evaluating a second measured value of an actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time; 
 determining whether said second measured value of an actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is more than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit; 
 determining a third measured value of illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time and deriving a new set value of illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time by iteratively averaging at least two optimum values from a previous set of iterations of said first measured value and said second measured value, wherein said previous set of iterations comprises said first measured value, said second measured value and the like; 
 storing a plurality of measured values of illumination emittance of ambient light between lighting on and off times of said at least one lighting unit; 
 generating a data trend from said plurality of measured values over a period of time; 
 comparing said data trend with said pre-recorded historical data; and 
 determining current date, day and month of a year and right optimum duration to turn said at least one lighting unit on and off at installation of said lighting system by executing said program and retrieving said pre-recorded historical data; 
 wherein said at least one lighting unit is automatically switched off when said second measured value of an actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is more than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit; and 
 wherein said at least one lighting unit is switched off automatically when said first value of said actual illumination emittance of ambient light in real-time is greater than said pre-determined set value of said at least one lighting unit. 
 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 18 , wherein each lighting unit comprises a control circuit for controlling signals from said controller unit. 
     
     
       20. The device of  claim 18 , wherein said pre-determined optimum duration is a time period for which said at least one lighting unit is switched on. 
     
     
       21. The device of  claim 18 , wherein said pre-recorded historical data comprises data related to number of hours of daylight per day.